Page:The City-State of the Greeks and Romans.djvu/330



has often been said that the history of Greece starts afresh with the conquests of Alexander. True as this is in many ways, it is not really true of the political life of the Greeks. The Greek City-State makes no fresh start at this point, but languishes on in gradual decay for nearly three centuries.

Yet Greece, through Alexander, her foster-child and pupil, came herself very near to the discovery of a new political system. For the few short years of Alexander's manhood it must have seemed as though the City-State were to escape further lingering decay, and to pass at once into a new existence as the organised material of a great empire. Just as the Greeks were now to turn their intellectual gifts in new directions, so it seemed as if they were about to put their peculiar political creation to a new use. In the marvellous career of Alexander, it is easy to forget that he was at heart a Greek, and that he identified himself and his aims with Greece and her ancient aspirations; but this must